Aristocrats
by Saiyaness28
Summary: Two young people make their debut into vampire aristocratic society and have differing experiences. The female is somewhat frightened by her future role, while the male is more than a little overwhelmed. What will happen when they meet?
1. Chapter 1

Aristocrats

Chapter One

**Acacia:**

"What dress shall I wear, Mama?" I asked as I sat at my vanity.

"The blue one, my daughter. It brings our your eyes." Replied my mother, touching my cheek tenderly.

"How should I wear my hair?" I asked.

"Away from your face, of course, so they may see your beauty." She said, pulling my red hair up with her hands.

"What should I say?" I wondered aloud.

"Nothing. Men are not interested in the words of women, only their company. Words are not nearly as important as actions." She said.

"What shall I do, Mama? I am nervous. This is my first season, out in society. I do not know what is to be expected of me." My hands fidgeted with the laces of my corset.

"Yes you do, child. I've told you over and over again since your childhood. I've explained countless times, the role of women in our society. We are the vessels of life. Our purpose is to produce our brood, birth strong sons and beautiful daughters. That is our only goal. Tonight is your debut to the breeding pool. You will attend tonight's soiree and entrance and entice the young male aristocrats. They in turn, will try to impress you, seduce you. Let them, but you may choose only one tonight. He will be your breeding partner for this cycle. Therefore, you must gain the attentions of the strongest male you can. Only then can you birth the strongest sons and most beautiful daughters. This is the goal of all vampire women, our life's work: to birth magnificent children, who will be greater than the generation before them." She said, her icy eyes glowing with pride. She picked up a powder puff and dusted it across my face, giving my already pale skin a porcelain finish.

**Corey:**

"Are you ready for your debut, my son?" Mother asked.

"I suppose so." I replied, raking my hand through my dark hair. I finished buttoning my cufflinks and began working on my tie. "I'm afraid I don't totally understand what it is I have to do, other than seduce women."

"Do not make it sound so simple." Said my elder brother, James, who sat in a high backed chair in the corner. "As males of high blood, it is our duty to "stir the blood" so to speak. We must widen the gene pool. There are so few of us, if we did not, our people would be done in by simple inbreeding. That is why it's so important for us to breed with as many females as possible, brother."

"It seems unfair to me." I sighed. Frustrated, I finally gave up on my tie and aloud my mother to do it for me.

"To who?" James scoffed. "Don't tell me that the arrangement does not please you. You get to enjoy all the women you like, and go to fabulous parties, drink only the finest blood. What's there not to like?"

"The women." I answered. "It seems unfair to them, to constantly seek to breed, to be passed from male to male, knowing that we'll move on as soon as the breeding is finished. None of us stay. I'm sorry, but that sounds cruel to me."

Brother let out a groan. "Mother you have spoiled him too much. He's starting to sound like a woman."

Mother laughed at my sulking face. "Cruel as it may be." She began, patting my cheek reassuringly. "The girls know their duty and they've made peace with their fate. It is an honor to breed with strong males and birth their young . I know it was for me."

"You don't wish that things could be different? That you could have settled with just one of our fathers and lived together, raised us all together, instead of all alone?" I asked, ignoring the snicker I heard coming from James' chair.

"You've been spending too much time with the humans, Corey! Now you're spewing nonsense about permanent pairing? How absurd!" James chuckled.

"Maybe so, but I like certain aspects of their culture. They have a ritual called a wedding. They bind themselves to one another and they mate for life. It seems much simpler and less chaotic than what we do and a lot less stressful for the females."

"It is a romantic notion, true, son, but it is impractical for our kind. You see the humans have something that we do not, numbers. They outnumber us a thousand to one. Their bloodlines are diverse. They can afford to mate with one person for life. We cannot." Mother explained, her voice calm and soothing. "Our way of doing things may not be the best, but it works for us. Even though my life has been stressful, I would not change a thing, even if I could." She brushed a lock of my black hair away from my face. "For I have you all, my seven beautiful children. You're my greatest joys."

"Let's go, Corey. We can't be late. We don't want big brother, Charles, to take all the best girls for himself." Said James. He grabbed me by the collar of my coat and practically dragged me from the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

**Acasia:**

"Take my hand, daughter." Said mother, as she offered me her gloved hand. I took it and she helped me out of the carriage. The rocks beneath my feet crunched under my weight as we made our way towards the enormous manor where the soiree, celebrating the launching night of the breeding season and the debut of many young bloods, was to be held. We went with the crowd of lovely women, flowing into the house like a raging river. Across the yard, I could see the men, moving in a similar way into the house through another door. Even through the expanse of darkened sky and shadowed green, their eyes blazed towards us, burning like tiny flames. They shone brilliantly in hues of blue, green, gold, and violet. I wondered if they could see our eyes from here. Could they see me staring?

"Mama…" I began timidly. "Why are the men and women separate from one another? Why don't we go in together?" I asked.

"It is customary for us to be kept separate until the strike of midnight, when the soiree is to begin. We'll go into one room and they will go into another until the clock strikes upon the twelfth hour, then the doors will open and we will meet each other in the grand ballroom." She took my hand and clasped it tightly. "There I shall introduce you to your father."

I gawked at her, speechless. "You never said anything about meeting my father." I pointed out.

She smiled cunningly. "I wanted to surprise you. Your meeting will be symbolic. After you meet, I will pass you off to him and leave you in his care. This will signify your stepping over the threshold of childhood into womanhood. At the end of the night, shortly before dawn, you will be returned to me, either by your chosen male or your father."

"Now I'm even more nervous than I was before we came." I sighed. I inwardly cursed whoever had invented corsets. I could barely breathe in the thing and my unrest was making me feel even more uncomfortable.

"Don't be. Bartholomew is a very kind and gentle man, soft spoken, just as you are. You are very much like him. I think you two will get along very well." She assured me.

"I do not know him." I grumbled.

"You are not the only girl here who does not know her father. Do not sulk. Rest assured, you were not kept from him by his choosing. Males cannot form attachments, they distract him from the work at hand, that is why he must distance himself from his own children and the women he bore them by."

"But why? Why must he distance himself from us? Is not children the whole point of all this?" I asked, motioning to the sea of girls before us.

"It is just the way things are, my child. It is not our place to question tradition. Things that are, must be." She said.

We entered a femininely decorated sitting room, with pink striped walls and flower patterned furniture. There was a layout of sweet treats and tea infused with blood. Mother and I helped ourselves to refreshments. I only got a cup of the tea. My stomach was twisted in agonizing nervousness. I didn't think it could handle the human delicacies.

As I sipped at my tea, my friend Silvia, found me and rushed over. She and I had been conceived in the same season and this would be her debut as well. Her golden hair bounced about her shoulders in ringlets as she moved. "Acacia!" She squealed. "Isn't this so very exciting! We get to meet our fathers and all those fine males all in the same night! I can hardly contain myself!" She giggled.

" At least one of us is enthusiastic." I sighed.

"You're not excited? Why, Acacia? Aren't you looking forward to having all those men fawning over you, pining for your attention?" She giggled .

Mother eyed her shrewdly. "That is hardly appropriate talk for a lady, Silvia." She scolded.

"Oh, forgive me, Madame." Silvia apologized. She turned her attention back to me. "Don't you think that it will be wonderful, being seen as women instead of little girls?" She asked me.

I shrugged my shoulders and brought my tea cup to my lips. "I thought I would be happy to reach adulthood but now that the time is here, I'm scared out of my wits."

"It's just first night jitters, Acacia. It'll pass once you are used to the festivities of the breeding season. You'll grow to like it, even." My mother reassured me with a warm smile.

"Just think of how handsome your chosen male will be." Said Silvia her cheeks all rosy pink. "I wonder what mine will look like." She pretended to swoon. She was always silly like this. I could not help but to giggle at her strangeness. "I hope he's tall!" She proclaimed. We received several strange looks from the others. I smiled graciously at her. At least I wasn't going to have to go through this by myself. Perhaps mother was right. Maybe I would actually enjoy myself. If only I could stop thinking of what was to come after tonight.

The clock chimed twelve. The waiting was over and the soiree would now begin. We set aside our tea cups and hurried out the opening doors. I took a final deep breath of childhood before stepping onto the ballroom's golden floor.

**Corey:**

We stood around in the cold outside of the manor while James finished his cigar. He sucked in foul smelling smoke and puffed it out his lips in rings. I coughed violently as it had irritated my throat when I breathed . He laughed at me, finally throwing down the cigar and stomping it out beneath his fine Italian shoe. We made our way with the crowd of finely dressed males into a large parlor. Even with its size, we found it a tight fit. James assured me that it usually wasn't this crowded. There were more males there tonight than there normally would be. The elders, long passed breeding age, were there to escort their debuting daughters, a custom that assured that the young girls, ignorant of the ways of men, would remain protected. After tonight, the old ones would not bother to come. Their daughters would have to be fast learners.

"Little Brothers!" Boomed Charles' cheery voice. He made his way towards us and gave James a quick hug. "James! Good to see you again, my friend. It's good to see my partner in crime." The two laughed huskily. Charles' yellow eyes shifted towards me. "Well if it isn't the baby of the brood." He snickered. "Finally, you're man enough to show off for the girls. I was beginning to think that it would never happen! It's good to see you, lad." He said, tussling my hair.

"Stop it, Charles." I sighed, slicking my wavy hair back in place. It had taken me forever to get it to lay flat.

"Don't worry. Harper boys are always popular." He grinned wolfishly, flashing purl white fangs. "Mark my words, as soon as the threshold ceremony is over, you're going to get bombarded."

"What should I do with them?" I asked, fidgeting with my sleeve nervously.

James and Charles laughed hysterically. I frowned deeply at them with an angry glare. They finally noticed the flare in my eyes and stopped. "You poor, innocent fool." Charles chuckled. He picked up a glass of dark red blood from a trey that a human servant was carrying. He smiled at me against the rim of the glass. "They're going to eat you alive." He said and knocked the drink back.

"Just talk to them, dance with them, do everything you can to get them to like you. It's as simple as that. Hopefully, by the end of the night, one of them will choose you." James explained. He pat me harshly on my back, knocking the breath out of my lungs. "It'll come naturally, you'll see."

"Naturally?" Charles sneered. "Corey, I don't think you should be taking advice from him. It does not come naturally for him in the least. More often than not he leaves here alone."

James' violet eyes flared in anger, brightening in the dim fire lit room. " You're not a hundred percent successful either, you know!" He growled.

Charles' eyes narrowed but his easy smile remained, wordlessly challenging his brother, in his arrogant way. "In my ten seasons, I've only had one unsuccessful night ."

"That's because she chose me." James reminded him smugly.

This did not effect Charles' confidence. His grin widened. It almost looked as if he were baring his teeth at James, eagerly anticipating a fight. Charles was taller and more strongly built than James, with broad shoulders and thick limbs. James was wiry and shorter. Charles was an imposing figure. What some may call an alpha male. Yet, James didn't step down from the challenge. He bore his own teeth.

"That may be so, but who did she choose for the next cycle?" He smirked, his eyes burrowing deep into James, just daring him to start something.

James flinched as if he had struck him. "Y-you." He mumbled, in a defeated tone."

Charles' eyes sharpened until they were as deadly as his fangs. "And who's son did she bare?"

"Yours." James growled, averting his eyes away. His once confident stance faltered and he deflated before his opposing brother.

"That's right." Charles grinned. "That night was only a momentary set back. I still conquered her in the end. I never loose, especially not to my little brother. You best not forget that." He shifted his eyes to me. "Both of you." He warned, his deep voice dripping with malice. "Mind that you don't get in my way. I won't have you trying to move in on my females. If you do, I'll be forced to defend my territory. Understand?" He asked, shoving James back . "I won't hesitate to kill you." He flashed his teeth at me. "Even you, young blood."

Finally, we heard the clock chime twelve times, marking the beginning of the soiree. The doors of the parlor opened and the males all began moving out into a grand ballroom. Charles wasted no time getting to the party and left us behind. James and I exchanged wary glances before moving out the room. "Be sure to keep your distance from Charles. He wasn't bluffing." He whispered in my ear. "I challenged him once and I failed miserably."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

**Acacia:**

We women were the first to appear out of our separate room. We gathered in a tightly packed crowd. Mothers stood with their daughters and clasped their hands. Some women were crying softly. This would be one of the most difficult things they would have to do in their long lives, letting go of their children and allowing them to take on adult responsibilities. I believe that allowing a child that you have raised and protected for a century is difficult for any mother, but perhaps more so for my own mother. She had partaken in many breeding seasons in her life time, but had conceived only once. I was her only child. She sobbed at my side. She held a handkerchief over her mouth to quiet her cries. Her hand trembled within mine. I rubbed my thumb across the back of her hand, in hopes of calming her. She sniffled and looked at me, her blue eyes warm with motherly love. "The century with you went by too quickly." She croaked, her voice weak from crying.

"Don't cry, Mama. No matter how old I get, how many seasons I partake in, or how many children I bring into this world, I'll forever be your child." I whispered, smiling warmly at her. I hated seeing her this way. She had been so proud of the fact that I'd finally come to my debut, but now it seemed she too had been hit with the sudden realization that I was a woman now, no longer a child. She was no longer needed.

"Yes." She smiled finally and wiped away the tears from her eyes. "You'll always be my beautiful, precious daughter, my Acacia." She kissed my forehead and then my hand as the doors on the opposite side of the room swung open.

The males, all dressed in fine, crisp clothes, of only the most recent fashions, walked out. They made a more organized crowd, with elders at the front and the young bloods at the back. It was almost as if the old ones were forming a barricade, keeping the hoard of hormone crazed drones at bay. There was a clear difference between the ages. The elders moved differently. Their movements were elegant, purposeful. Not even a shift of the foot was unplanned. The young bloods however, looked more restless and eager. They reminded me of buzzing wasps, the way they shifted on their feet and fidgeted in anticipation. They held their hands in fists at their sides and puffed out their chests. Their eyes blazed at us. They were already picking out which ones of us they wished to try to seduce first. The elders stepped forward, away from the young ones and all the mothers with debuting daughters did the same. My eyes scanned the line of elder males, looking for any similarities between their faces and mine. One of these men was my father.

One at a time, a mother and daughter pair left our group. The mother greeted the male with a smile and low bow of her head. They spoke briefly and the girl was passed over to him. Then the mother turned on her heel and exited the house, the same way we had come. I watched on as Silvia and her mother left the group and approached a blond elder at the center of the line. I had always wondered where she'd gotten her pale golden curls. Now I knew. He too had curly golden hair. I could just see it poking out beneath his hat. I noticed also that they had the same silver-blue eyes. She really hadn't inherited much from her mother, who's eyes were golden and who's hair was jet black and strait as a pin. That must be a sign of his powerful blood. Her mother had chosen well.

Finally, my turn came. With our hands clasped tightly, my mother led me across the ballroom floor to the man at the very end of the line. His eyes, a rich violet, seemed to brighten as I drew nearer. His hair, which I could imagine used to be the same dark red shade as my own, was streaked with grey. He was obviously quite old, yet his face remained untouched by the centuries. He was still as handsome as any of the young bloods behind him. We stopped before him and he smiled widely at my mother and I. "Ophelia." My mother's name rolled off his tongue, dripping in unspoken pleasure. "You are looking well." He said, his eyes flittering up and down my mother's frame briefly. He was obviously pleased by my mother's appearance for his smile widened even further and I saw an odd sparkle in his eye. I glanced over at my mother and saw the same expression, the same sparkle. I thought it odd, but then again he was my father, so there had to be some mutual attachment between them still, even after a whole century.

"Thank you, Bartholomew." Mother smiled graciously at the compliment. "May I present, our daughter, Acacia." She introduced me.

I curtsied politely in front of my father. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you, sir." I said.

"My, Ophelia, you have done well with her. She's stunning." He said, touching my chin to angle it up so that he may see it better. "It's hard to believe it has already been a hundred years since you were born. The last time I saw you, you were just a tiny thing."

My brow furrowed in confusion. I did not recall ever seeing him before. It was supposed to be forbidden for males to have any sort of contact with their female offspring before this night. I began to ask what he meant, but mother intervened. Taking my hand, she passed me over to Bartholomew. "I have raised Acacia to her one hundredth year. I pass her to you now. My job is finished, now yours is just beginning. Shield our daughter, guide her well."

"Rest assured, my dear. I will do everything that is within my power to make this transition an easy one for her." He nodded towards her in acknowledgement.

My mother bowed lowly then with one final meeting of our eyes, she turned away and strode quickly from the building.

When the threshold ceremony was over, the groups dispersed and mingled together. The room erupted in chatter, laughter and upbeat music. The party, it seems, had begun.

"Would you like me to introduce you so some of the males? I hear Charles Harper is especially successful. He already has eight children out of his first ten seasons. Six of which were sons." My father offered, as we walked arm in arm around the ballroom. He pointed towards a large male with short blond hair and blue eyes. He already had ten or twelve girls gathered around him, Silvia included.

"No thank you. It appears that one of my friends has already formed an interest in him." I smirked. No doubt she'd zoomed in on him because of his height.

"Very well. I'll let you mingle on your own for a while. Should you need me, I'll be with the other elders. We must keep out you young ones' way." He chuckled. He kissed my fingers then walked away to join the elders who stood in a group by a refreshment table.

I stood there a moment and looked around the room, at the small groups of people. Men and women gathered around each other, talking. The men whispered sweet things and stroked the girl's cheeks with a gentile hand. Even the debuting males acted with finesse. Their skills as wooers had obviously been well honed. The girls hung on their every word, as their eyes burrowed themselves within the male's soul to pick out the traits she deemed worthy for her future children. As I watched them all, I felt uneasy. What was I to do now? The males, handsome and charming as they appeared, intimidated me. I wrung my hands nervously as a male shifted his blue eyes to look my way. I bit my lip and spun around. I pointlessly, wandered through the crowd. _This is too soon! _I thought in misery. _I'm not ready for this. I don't know how to approach them or what to say or how to act. Those drones might as well be another species! I'm not ready to breed! I'm not ready to be a mother! I'm not ready! Not ready!_

**Corey:**

When we came out of our room, the women were already in the ballroom. They gathered tightly together, as though they were fearful of us and needed comfort from their fellow females. The elder women held their debuting daughters' hands. Some cried as if someone were dieing. I didn't understand their emotion. The elder males made a line in front of us young bloods. As we moved restlessly, they were stoic, and eerily still. They were used to this scene, the seasoned males too were calmer than we were. The young bloods, having never really had much contact with those of the opposite sex, aside from our mothers and sisters, were understandably excited. I suppose we looked half mad to the young girls. Perhaps that's why they clung so close to their mothers.

I can hardly explain the feeling I had as I stood there among my fellow males. I was used to them. They were familiar and yet, I could feel the air between us change. From this point until the end of the breeding season, they would no longer be my comrades. They would be my rivals, my opponents. Even my brothers, my own flesh and blood, were my enemies now. Still, the feeling of loneliness that I got, did not trouble me so much as the feeling I got from the women. I could feel their eyes on me already, picking me apart. They were judging me. Even without ever speaking a word to me, they were weighting my worth. Looking at them, they seemed so beautiful, so alluring, and sweet. I yearned for them. My blood burned within my veins. My heart quickened. My body knew that the time had come. It was time to reach my full potential as a male and pursue the females with all that I had. I must pass on my blood. That is our only goal in life. If I had to fight my own brothers to accomplish a successful season, then that was fine by me. As far as that was concerned, I had no brothers. These males, I forgot their names. They were nameless now. They didn't matter. I would gladly kill them all if I had to.

I shook those thoughts away, troubled by the violence that was surging through me. The need to fight had never been so great before. This wasn't me. I was not a violent person. I dared to meet the women's eyes once again. _What was it about these females that made me want to kill for them?_

I watched in troubled silence, still mulling over my inward turmoil as the girls went through the threshold ceremony, where the mother passed her daughter into her father's care. Most of the males looked happy to see their daughters. For all of them, it would be the first time they had ever laid eyes on her. I couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. Most males learn their father's identity when it comes time to leave their mother's household. They act as their mentor , guide them through life, and teach them all they need to know. However, I'd never been given the chance. My father died when I was still just a child.

A flash of brilliant red caught my eye. I zoomed in on the final girl to go through the ceremony. Her hair was a vibrant ruby red and her eyes were sapphire blue. Her eyes were framed by a fan of long, dark eye lashes. Her pink lips puckered in an endlessly tormenting pout. She wore a dress of the same shade of blue as her eyes. It made them look twice as bright, her skin all the more smooth and creamy. She kept those lovely eyes of hers averted from the males, unwilling to meet our gazes. Instead she focused on what her parents were doing. I have to admit, I felt challenged by this simple act. She made my bones ache and my skin rise in goose bumps. I would definitely have to pursue her. I moved even more with mad energy, my teeth bared in a wide smile of anticipation.

I had meant to go strait to her when the ceremony was over, but as soon as it came to an end, the groups exploded outwards, the males, far too eager to wait another moment, rushed towards the girls. Unfortunately, I lost sight of her in the turmoil.

Charles was right about the Harper boys' popularity , for the most part at least. Within seconds He and I were surrounded. James, sadly, was less successful in drawing the girl's attention. Charles had twelve or so girls around him. He draped each arm over one and continued to flirt with the others. There were five girls around me now. They chattered on. Their high voices mingled together and I tried hard to listen intently.

"You must be, Charles' little brother." Said a brunette to my left.

"We heard rumors that one of the Harper brood was debuting, but we didn't really believe it." Said a short blond.

A girl with cat-like green eyes and long black hair reached out and touched my hair. "You're definitely handsome enough to be a Harper. Just look at this lovely hair of yours." She giggled flirtatiously.

"Uh…yes. I am the youngest Harper brother, Corey." I stuttered nervously.

"Corey? That's a cute name." The blond giggled. She angled herself a little closer to me.

"Thank you." I replied. My eyes lifted to scan the room again for the red haired beauty, but I saw no trace of her.

"Please, excuse me, ladies." I said, bowing graciously.

The girls seemed to think that it was charming. They giggled lightly and whispered amongst themselves.

I edged my way through the ballroom, searching the room frantically. I had to find her. I had to at least speak with her. "Where on earth are you?" I asked in a whisper.

"Hello, brother! Having fun?" Asked James. I hadn't noticed that he was right beside me with two young blood girls.

"Yes, of course." I replied, a bit distracted. My eyes were still searching.

"Is this your baby brother?" Asked the curly haired girl with him.

"He's awfully cute." The other giggled.

"I'm glad. Now go away, boy!" James growled, irritated that I was stealing his thunder.

"I will. I'm looking for someone. You wouldn't happen to have seen a red haired girl in a blue dress go by here, have you?" I asked.

"I don't think so." James grumbled, growing more irritated by my presence by the second.

"Wasn't Ophelia Darling's daughter wearing a blue dress tonight?" One of James' girls asked the other.

"I think so." She replied.

"Do you know where she is?" I asked. Even I was startled by the desperate sound of my voice.

"She really caught your attention, didn't she?" James chuckled.

The two girls shook their heads.

I hurried away, winding through the labyrinth of twirling multicolored gowns and black and white suits. After about fifteen minutes of fruitless searching, and feeling defeated, I went to get some refreshments. I went over to the table where they were displayed and picked up a cup of fresh blood. I leaned against the wall and sipped it slowly as I stared out dismally over the party. The girl I sought was nowhere to be seen.

"What do you think of these young blood girls?" A tall elder asked the group. My eyes traveled over to them.

"I have to say, I'm a bit upset. They're all so beautiful ! If only I were just a few centuries younger." The white haired elder answered with a laugh. "Bartholomew, how is your daughter doing? What was her name again?" He asked the man next to him. His hair was red with grey streaks running through it. My heart leapt in my chest, realizing that he was the red haired girl's father.

"Acacia, Ophelia Darling's child. I am concerned about her, actually. She doesn't seem interested in the boys at all. In fact, she's avoiding them. I think she's nervous." Said Bartholomew.

"Let's hope so, or else she'll be even more useless than her mother." The white haired male laughed.

Bartholomew hissed lowly as he grabbed the male by his collar and shoved him against the wall, picking him up off the ground easily. "Ophelia is not useless!" He growled. "What right do you have to speak so ill of her? You've only fathered four children in your whole life! If she is useless then so are you, Lewis!"

"Fine! Fine! Put me down, before you start a scene!" Lewis whispered, his eyes shifting nervously. He pried at Bartholomew's hand, but was unable to get free. Bartholomew was stronger.

Reluctantly he let him down, but he continued to glare at him. "Ophelia gave me a beautiful daughter, I won't have you slander her." His eyes shifted to share their glare with the entire group. "Any of you."

"Sorry, friend. I sometimes forget your soft spot for that one." Lewis chuckled. He pat Bartholomew on the back in an effort to get back in his good graces.

"As I recall, Ophelia was stubborn in her day. Perhaps Acacia has merely inherited that trait." The male with curly blond hair, who'd been silent until now, spoke up. "I'm sure she'll grow out of it."

"Who says we want her to?" The tall one laughed. "The more stubborn they are, the better they are in bed." The whole group, minus Bartholomew, erupted in laughter.

"I would appreciate it if you did not speak that way about my daughter, gentlemen." Bartholomew huffed, crossing his arms over his chest in anger.

Finally, Lewis saw me standing by them. "You, young one, what are you doing hanging around with us old coots! Go, find a girl!" He encouraged me.

"They're ripe for the picking tonight." The tall one added with a snicker.

"Wait, you're not one of Richard Baxter's sons are you? I swear you look just like him as a juvenile." Asked the blond male.

"That he does." Added Bartholomew. "Who is your mother?" He asked.

"Amelia Harper and yes, Richard Baxter was my father." I answered.

"So you're the new Harper boy! Well now I'm confused. You should be buried up to your neck in skirts by now." The tall one snickered again.

"I'm sorry about Richard, lad. His death shocked us all. It must have been difficult not having him around to see you to this point." Said Bartholomew kindly.

"Thank you sir." I took a deep breath. "Listen, I was looking for a specific girl a while ago. I can't seem to find her. I believe that she's your daughter, Acacia. You wouldn't happen to know where I can find her now, would you?"

"Ah, looks like he's interested in your little filly, Bartholomew." Lewis smirked.

Bartholomew rolled his eyes and shoved Lewis away in annoyance. "Last I saw her, she was sitting over there." He said, pointing towards a corner on the opposite side of the room.

"Thank you, sir." I bowed graciously and hurried off. I gently pushed my way through the dancing couples on the ballroom's dance floor. Slowly but surely, she came into view. She sat elegantly in a blush pink upholstered chair. Her hands laid relaxed in her lap. She was staring absently down at the golden tile, as her foot tapped lightly to the beat of the music and her fingers drummed in perfect rhythm on her knee. Suddenly my heart dropped. With all this rushing about, searching, I'd forgotten to think of something clever to say. "H-hello, Acacia." I greeted sheepishly with a friendly smile.

She looked up at me through a veil of dark lashes and frowned.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Acacia:

I had retreated to a chair in the corner of the ballroom when a young blood male approached me. I had hoped that I would be left alone in my little corner, but it appeared that I could not hide from everyone. I looked up into a youthful face, waves of short black hair, that looked like they may have once been plastered against his skull at some point, fell over his forehead. Bright emerald eyes shone from his eye sockets and were framed by dark eye lashes. He had long lashes for a man and his eyes were large like a child's still. He was quite handsome, but I still frowned unhappily at him. I just wanted to be left alone. He was wasting his time, trying to woo the likes of me.

His thin lips curved into a charming, nervous smile. "H-Hello, Acacia." He stuttered in greeting.

I sat there, staring at his boyish face, frowning deeply for a moment, searching for something to say that would not sound too rude. "Hello, sir." I greeted, still no smile in sight. "May I ask how you know my name?"

He fidgeted with his coat sleeve and looked over his shoulder towards where the male elders were grouped together. "I overheard your father talking about you." He said, laughing uncomfortably. He cleared his throat and extended his hand. "I'm Corey Harper." He introduced himself. "No doubt, you've heard of my brothers, Charles and James."

"Yes, the Harpers' reputation proceeds you, especially Charles. I hear he's quite a successful breeder." I didn't shake his hand and he quickly dropped it back at his side.

I pointed towards where Charles and his females gathered. "My friend is the blond one he has his right arm around. I'm afraid she has a weakness for tall men. Your brother didn't stand a chance."

Corey laughed. His face brightened, growing even more handsome, with his wide grin. "I think it's a common weakness amongst females. Charles has more breeding partners each season than he knows what to do with."

"I suppose it is." I replied, smirking despite my reservations.

He ran his hand through his hair and looked down at his shoes like a bashful child. "Uh…I wanted to ask you…um…."

"Are you always this nervous?" I asked, with a somewhat wicked chuckle.

"O-only when I'm around women as beautiful as you, Miss Darling." His face flushed and his green eyes gleamed with charm. "Forgive me. I am not used to this sort of thing at all. I mean to ask you to dance. Would you give me the honor?" He bowed, keeping his arm extended.

I hesitated and watched his eyes shift behind closed eye lids. His brow was lightly furrowed. He was anxious, clearly. His hand trembled slightly. Finally, I put him out of his misery and took his hand. Grinning ear to ear, he led me onto the dance floor as the band began to play a lively waltz. We clasped one of our hands together. My other hand rested on his shoulder and his timidly laid on my hip.

"You are truly beautiful." He complimented. He attempted to sound somewhat calm but the panic in his voice betrayed him. "When I saw you come to your father, I had to catch my breath, for you stole it away from me."

"Ah, so you've been practicing you lines, have you?" I said, eyeing him shrewdly. "Did your father teach you that one?"

The boy frowned at me. "My father is dead, my brothers have had to teach me everything. They said that women like to be told they're beautiful. I take it that your are an exception." His lips tweaked a bit in one corner.

I was taken aback by his words. "I'm sorry. I did not know about your father. But, no, I'm not an exception to that rule. I like to be told that I'm pretty, just as much as the next girl, but the way you said it sounded too much like a pick up line." I laughed a little and he joined me with a chuckle.

"It was a pick up line." He laughed. "Sorry about that. I 'm just beyond nervous at the moment. Everything is just so overwhelming." He sighed.

"You said that your brothers taught you everything, didn't they prepare you for this?" I asked.

"They tried, but they're both so busy with their own lives. I only just recently moved into the Males' District. Going from my mother's house to theirs and then debuting all in a week, is just a little too much for my liking."

"I feel your pain. I too am…overwhelmed. I have been given the proper preparation time, of course. A hundred years is a long time to prepare, but I feel that tonight came too soon. I'm not sure if I am ready to give up my childhood, but I know that I am expected to. The idea that I could be an expectant mother by the end of the season is…frightening to say the least."

"I understand completely."

"You do?" I asked, unable to hide my astonishment. My eyes narrowed at him. "How can you? You are a male. You're not even expected to look upon your children until they are mature."

"Up until last week, I was living with my mother and sisters. I am the youngest. My sisters are already seasoned breeders. They all have at least one child. I've seen how difficult it is for them to raise their babies by themselves and I have not forgotten it. I'll never forget it."

"You are lucky. I have very little idea what to expect. I have no sisters to learn from. What lessons I have received have been from the elders and it has been a long time since any of them have bred. I feel like I'm walking onto a minefield blindfolded."

He laughed at me and I glared at him in irritation. "What is so funny? Does my misery amuse you?" I demanded.

"Of course not!" He defended. "I just thought that it was funny that you akin breeding with war."

I rolled my head to the side. "Is it not like war? Breeding is all about strategy. You males scheme on ways to woo us. The females watch you carefully, looking for both weaknesses and strengths. The final act is the deciding battle. You either win or you loose. And like apposing armies, males and females do not mix unless they are engaged in battle. So tell me, sir, what part of breeding is not like war?"

He smirked at me and paused for a moment, deep in thought. Finally he answered. "The main goal of war is to destroy the enemy. We work to build each other's armies up by creating stronger soldiers."

Corey:

It had taken me a few minutes of deep thought to find an answer for her. What I had said was the best I could come up with, for she made a very good argument.

She seemed pleased by my answer. She smiled prettily. "Good point." She said.

I ransacked my brain for something else to talk about, but it was difficult to think around her. I said the first thing that came to mind and instantly wished I'd kept my mouth shut. "Do you read any human literature?" I asked. She gave me a look of surprise. This was a bad move. Rarely did our kind ever indulge in human things. Humans were looked down upon. They were stupid slaves. Little more than cattle, really.

"Do you?" She inquired.

I nodded hesitantly. "I do. I enjoy it, actually. Does that bother you at all?"

She grinned widely. Her white teeth and fangs glistened in the dim light of the room. This was the biggest smile I had yet to see from her. I didn't think she could look any more beautiful. Clearly I was wrong. "I adore human literature! I can't believe you like it. So few of us do. My friends say I'm stupid for reading such garbage, but humans have written such beautiful things, filled with far more soul than anything a vampire could write. My favorite poet was a human. Are you familiar with William Blake?"

Pleasure twisted my gut. William Blake was one of my favorites as well. "Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright in the forests of the night, what immortal hand or eye, could frame thy fearful symmetry?" I recited from pure memory.

Then to my surprise she recited the next verse. "In what distant deeps or skies burnt the fire of thine eyes? On what wings dare he aspire? What the hand dare seize the fire?" Her voice was mesmerizing in its beauty as she spoke the words of the poem.

Finally, both together, with recited the rest of the poem. "And what shoulder, and what art, could twist the sinews of thy heart? And when they heart began to beat, what dread hand? And what dread feet? What the hammer? What the chain? In what furnace was thy brain? What the anvil? What dread grasp dare its deadly terrors clasp? When the stars threw down their spears, and watered heaven with their tears, did he smile his work to see? Did he who made the Lamb make thee?" We both stopped our dance and grinned widely at each other as we began the final verse. Everyone and everything else seemed to blur and all I could see was her glowing blue eyes and the startling white of her fangs and the motion of her lips as she spoke. The music died away and it was as if she and I were the only two people in a void. Our voices, mingling together, was the only sound to perk my ears. "Tyger! Tyger! Burning bright in the forests of the night, what immortal hand or eye dare frame thy fearful symmetry?"

"You sought to impress me, Mr. Harper, and you have succeeded." She said, breathing heavily with excitement. I felt my heart still in my chest. Had I done it? Had I really wooed her? Would she choose me tonight? My blood quickened in my veins at the very thought that I could posses such a creature in such a near future.

I blinked out of the spell that she put me under and I finally noticed that the couples around us were dispersing. Most of the young blood girls had chosen their mates for the season and were leaving arm in arm with them. Those who had not had returned to cling disappointedly to their fathers' sides. The soiree was drawing to a close.

"Is this your chosen male, Acacia?" Asked Bartholomew as he made his away across the emptying dance floor.

Acacia's eyes danced between her father and I. Finally, her eyes settled on me and my stomach dropped. There was remorse and fear in her eyes. "I'm sorry, Mr. Harper, I was impressed by you, but I don't feel ready to commit to you, quite yet. I'd like to get to know you a little better first."

"I understand." I said, trying to hide my disappointment.

"I plan on attending the group hunt in the Valsori fields next Sunday. We could meet up there, if you like." She said, with a small, almost hinting smile. Her eyes practically begged me to be there.

"I'd like that very much. I'll definitely be there." I said.

She laughed lightly at the enthusiasm in my voice. "I'm glad. I'm looking forward to seeing what you are capable of."

"Likewise." I smirked devilishly.

Acacia linked arms with her father and gave me a final wave. "Good bye, Mr. Harper. I'll see you on Sunday."

I waved back. Once she was gone, I deflated in misery and went to join the other defeated drones.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Acacia:

My father, Bartholomew, led me out the house to his awaiting carriage, silently. He helped me in, before getting in himself. The ride home, was uncomfortably quiet. I wrung my fingers nervously as I forced myself to speak to him, to ask the question that had weighed on my mind since we'd left the soiree. "Are you disappointed in me?" I asked timidly.

He looked away from the window he'd been staring out of for the past few minutes and cocked an eyebrow at me. "Why on earth would I be disappointed?"

"For not choosing anyone." I replied. "It is expected of me to choose a male quickly. Not a single day of the breeding season should be wasted."

"You've been listening to your mother too much." Bartholomew chuckled with a wry grin. "She always did take the formalities of breeding far too seriously. If you didn't like any of the males tonight then it's their fault, not yours. The males are supposed to empress you and if you go home to your mother without a mate tonight then they are the ones who have failed. They know this. I'm sure the youngest Harper boy will be particularly miserable."

"My mother will not see it that way." I said. "She instructed me to choose my mate tonight. She said it was very important that I do so."

"Ah! Your mother is just worried that you will have as much trouble conceiving as she did." He scoffed. He took a cigar from a pocket on the inside of his coat, and set it into place between his teeth. Taking a small box from the pocket as well, he struck a match and lit the cigar. The carriage soon filled with blue-gray smoke. "Don't settle for some good for nothing just to have a successful season. Your mother did that, and she was miserable most of the time."

"Most of the time?" I inquired, quirking my own eyebrow at him.

Bartholomew snickered. "Well she was with me for one season. She was plenty happy then."

"I've been meaning to ask you." I began, tucking a loose strand of red hair behind my ear. "You mentioned seeing me before tonight. What did you mean by that? I thought that males didn't have much contact with their offspring. Most never see their daughters until the debut or their sons until they reach puberty… When did you see me?"

Bartholomew's smirk dropped and I could see that he was thinking carefully as to what he was going to say. "The season I was with your mother was also my last before I retired. You were the last child that I ever fathered. And you were mothered by my favorite female. You've always held a special place in my heart. I admit I broke the rules a bit. When you were just a toddler, I paid your mother a visit in secret and I saw you there with her." His smile returned, but it was much softer, sadder now. "You were a beautiful child."

"You broke the rules? Didn't you get in trouble for that?"

"Of course I did. My fellow elders beat me to a bloody pulp…but it was worth it, seeing you, the beautiful creature Ophelia and I created together. I'd do it a thousand times over."

When we finally halted to a stop in front of my house. He got out and helped me down, then quickly got back in. "I'm afraid that it's forbidden for me to go into your mother's house. I'll have to leave you here."

"That's fine. Thank you, father." I curtsied and I waved to him as the carriage sped away.

I took a deep breath before opening the door and walking into my house. When I came in mother leapt up from her chair in her nightgown, her dark hair tumbling over her left shoulder. "What happened?" She asked. "I saw your father's carriage outside. Did you not choose a male?"

"I did not." I said sheepishly, turning my eyes away from the disappointed look on her face.

"Why?" She asked. "I told you how important this is. If you prove to be infertile like me then you cannot afford to waste a single night of the breeding season."

"I'm sorry, mother, but I saw no man who I particularly wanted." I sighed, plopping down in a chair.

"No one?" She asked, unbelievingly.

"Well…" I began, thinking back to the soiree and the bright smile of Corey Harper, the warmth of him as we danced. "There was one who I sort of liked. Corey Harper? Tonight was his debut as well. He was nice and we have the same taste in literature. He was…interesting."

"So why didn't you choose him?" She demanded, her hands flailing in exaggeration.

I shrugged my shoulders. "I' wasn't sure about him yet. I didn't want to rush to bed with him just because we like the same poetry. He has to do more to empress me. He's going to be at the hunt on Sunday. I'll get to see his prowess as a hunter. Perhaps he'll sway me then."

The following day, Silvia came by for a visit. We sat at the garden table, sipping earl grey tea. "How did your debut night go? I trust you chose a mate." I inquired as I placed a cucumber sandwich on my plate.

"Oh, Acacia! He's marvelous!" Silvia flustered. Her fair face went pink and she fanned herself with her hands. "He's so handsome and charming!" She lowered her voice and leaned over the table to whisper. "And dare I say, an excellent lover." She giggled in her girlish way. " It's no wonder he's such a popular breeder."

"Who is he?" I asked, feeling my own face grow warmer at the mere mention of mating.

"Charles Harper." She breathed, her eyes becoming dreamy.

"Harper." I whispered. "He has a brother named Corey, right?"

She nodded. "Yes. He has two brothers, actually, Corey and James. I met them both when I went home with Charles last night. They all live together now, but Charles is hoping to move out on his own soon. He just wants to help Corey establish himself first. Isn't that sweet?" She sighed.

"Yes…um…did Corey bring anyone home last night?" I asked, hesitantly.

To my surprising relief, Silvia shook her head. "No. James had Beth Grayson with him, but Corey was alone. I don't think anyone chose him. Which is surprising, given how handsome he is." She paused a moment and stared blankly at my face. Then a smirk slowly spread across her face. "Why? Are you interested in Corey Harper?"

"I-I danced with him at the soiree. We spoke for a while about literature. He is…intriguing, but…" I quickly took a sip of tea to quiet my rambling.

"If you like him, then why did that poor boy have to sleep in a cold bed with no woman to warm him?" She snickered. "You've been awfully cruel to him."

"I do not mean to be." I sighed. "It's just…the whole point in all of this is to conceive children and frankly the idea of being a mother frightens me to no end."

"Why? You'll have you mother, aunts and me to help you."

"I know that…it's just…once I've mated, my girlhood will really be over. That scares me. Didn't it frighten you at all?"

Silvia's face softened and she looked down at her plate as she spoke in a much quieter voice than I thought ever possible for her. "Acacia, our childhoods ended the moment we were passed to our fathers and our mothers left us behind. I did feel fear at that moment, but…what's the point in fighting the inevitable? We all loose our girlhoods eventually." She lifted her eyes to me and stared intently. "Acacia, we've shared so much growing up, but your fear is one thing that I cannot endure with you. I chose my male and have mated with him. My girlhood has already left me and with it went my fear."

The Sunday on which the group hunt was to be held was here before I knew it. It fell on the first new moon of the month. There would be no moonlight to aid the quarry. We vampires, the nocturnal creatures that we are, had the upper hand. The women arrived first in the Valsori fields. Most of female society were there, except for those who had stayed behind to look after the children. We wore thin dresses that came down only to mid calf and flat heeled boots. The night was warm and we would be running so we did not want our clothes getting in the way. The women chattered around me, gossiping about this season's couples, while some of the younger girls giggled and pointed at the half naked human males who squatted inside of their tiny cage. It was so small, in fact, that none of them could stand up straight. I frowned as I looked upon their pathetic faces. They knew what was coming. None of them would be leaving the fields alive tonight.

To my surprise, I found a familiar face among them. His name was Tod. He was a brown haired youth, only twenty-two years old. He had worked in our household for a time. I had caught him myself when he was just a five month old baby. It is the females who catch our human slaves, the males who sell them. Every few months, a team of females, usually grouped by coven, go on a capture mission in the human district of the city or to the country side where some humans still live free. The adults we capture are used as slaves to do menial labor. The children, however, are usually used as hunting practice for the children. It was cruel. Even if they are human They are still babies who cannot defend themselves. But that is the point. Our children are not threatened by them and human young are very easy to kill. A bite in just the right spot in the neck, can kill them instantly. It is not easy, watching babies die, but it is necessary. Tod was just such a child when I captured him. We were going to use him in a training exercise for one of my aunts' youngest children. We wanted to teach him how to kill a victim without leaving so much blood or signs of struggle behind.

However, I could not bare to allow it. When I had scooped him up from his cradle, having already killed the mother who had tried to protect him, he latched on to me and cooed sweetly. His crying stopped, as if my blood stained hands brought comfort to him. I begged mother to keep him and she finally agreed. He grew up in our household. He worked as a messenger boy for several years, delivering our mail from house to house, and from district to district. When he was around twelve, he asked me to teach him to read. I found that he was a very intelligent boy and he had a love for books and learning. We became very close over those lessons. For three years, I served as both master and teacher to him, then a friend as well, but somehow I became more in his eyes, unbeknownst to me. Sometimes he would sneak into my room through the servants' passageway and we would talk for long hours in the day. We talked of all sorts of things: gossip, books, things we wanted to do someday, even the sun, which I found endlessly interesting. It blew my mind that there was a part of life that I had never experienced in the century I had been alive, that this young blood human knew more of the world than I did. It sounded so beautiful when he told me about all the light filled, hot days of summer, the smell of the grass, baking in it, and the sun itself, a celestial being like the moon that shone so brightly that if you looked directly at it for too long, it would blind you. I often wished that he could take me to that world, though I knew that that would mean death for me. It would be a beautiful death, I imagined, looking upon a world bathed in holy light.

Tod became a close friend, despite his being a slave, and my role in orphaning him. I thought that he would be with us for the rest of his life, but a single moment stole that hopeful dream away. One night seven years ago, as we talked together in my room, he began to draw closer to me. I, being young and oblivious to the desires of men, paid no mind. Suddenly his mouth was on mine. He kissed me desperately, and passionately. I did not kiss him back, for I didn't realize what it was that he was doing. That's just how ignorant I was. Of course, I had heard stories from the older girls who had already debuted, about kissing their males, but they only described the meeting of lips and he was doing something different, something more, something that lit my senses on fire. Reflexively, I shoved him away. I did so with too much force. It knocked the breath out of him and he doubled over in agony. Blood stained his white shirt. My mother heard his moans and rushed in. I, without thinking of the consequences, told her what he had done. He was sent away immediately and was sold to some other family who used him to do back breaking labor, doing repairs, building houses and the like.

This was the first time I had seen him since that night. I couldn't be certain at the moment while he was in the small cage, but he looked tall. The years of hard labor had firmed his once very skinny frame with lithe muscle. The pale, soft flesh, covered in freckles, that had once adorned him, was now browned from being in the sun for long periods of time each day. The beginnings of a beard bristled along his jaw and upper lip. His short hair stuck up in places on his head, wild and un-kept. He was dirty and I could smell human musk all the way from where I stood. I approached the cage, slowly and hesitantly. I was sure that I was the last person he'd want to talk to again, but I wanted to apologize before the males got there and the hunt began.

"Hello, Tod." I greeted softly. I bared my fangs at the younger girls who had been teasing them and shooed them away.

Tod lifted his head wearily. His body was quivering slightly. He was probably drained beforehand to make him more docile. The females often do that with males, who can be violent and reckless. His brown eyes were dull as he looked upon me, void of the spark of life. I remembered a happy, grinning, laughing little boy. This was not him. That part of him seemed to have died. "Succubus." He hissed, using the derogatory human slang term for female vampires. Succubus was actually the name of a type of female demon who sucked the life force out of human males until they died when they mated with them. Vampires are related to such creatures, but it is not what we are and we don't like being called as such. Still, I chose to ignore the insult.

"Do you remember me?" I asked.

"Of course I do." He said lowly, his voice dark and rough compared to the smoothness of vampires' voices. He placed one of his large hands over his chest and I noticed that small crescent shaped scars puckered his skin. They were from my nails when I had shoved him away. "I bare your marks every day that I live, Miss Darling." He whispered with an edge to his voice that stung my skin as if he had slapped me. "For what do I owe this honor? Come to taunt me, on this, the day of my death? You want to humiliate me even more? I realize how stupid it was for me to think that I was anything more than a slave to you, but I was just a love struck pup at the time. Further teasing is not needed. Please, just let me die in peace. I would be most grateful to you."

"I-I wanted to apologize to you." I stuttered nervously. I gripped the bars of the cage as I knelt down to his level. I tried to ignore the stench of the humans. When was the last time they were allowed to bathe? "If I had not told my mother what you did, you wouldn't be here now. I am sorry. So sorry. You were my friend and I betrayed you in the worst way."

"What is an apology going to do?" He asked, narrowing his dark eyes at me. "It won't set me free. It won't let me live another day. Your words are hollow. They have no meaning, no purpose, aside from clearing your own conscious. If you really want to make this up to me, then be sure to be the one who delivers the killing blow to me." He slapped the back of his neck. "Get me right here and it will snap my neck. I'll be dead before I can feel the pain. It is the most humane thing that you can do."

"Tod…I…" I stopped speaking as the sound of barking dogs announced the arrival of the males. They had their hunting dogs, all enormous grey wolfhounds, with them. I turned my head and saw them all in casual dress, making their way across the field, their dogs in the lead.

"Run along now. The butcher is about to begin." I heard Tod grumble bitterly.

"I won't let you die." I promised him as I stood. "I promise you."

"Why? This is what your people call sport, isn't it?" He said and turned his head away.

I rose to my feet and reluctantly left the cage. I looked back one final time at Tod. He sat with his knees drawn up against his chest, staring blankly at a wolfhound that had just walked up to investigate them.

Corey:

The men talked excitedly as we made our way across the dark field. I knew that their blood was pumping adrenaline throughout their bodies, eager with anticipation for the hunt. I knew this, for I could feel it myself. The pleasure that one got from feeling flesh give way under your fangs and hot blood gushing into your mouth, was unsurpassable. The wolfhounds barked as they ran towards the women and the caged quarry. I could smell the humans' stench already. They smelled putridly of dirt and sweat and I had the sneaking suspicion that at least one of them had soiled themselves in fear. I hardly blamed them. Unlike animals, they were smart enough to know that death was coming.

"Damn." I heard James curse beside me. I looked over at his strained expression.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Louisa is here." He sighed. "I was hoping she wouldn't be."

Louisa was the female that had chosen James one season and had not conceived, then the following season she chose Charles and had a son by him. Louisa was one of James' favorites. It had taken him several tries to woo her. Loosing her to his brother sat bitterly on his tongue. I had seen her a couple of times when she came to visit my mother. She was a curvy girl, thin wasted with wide hips and full breasts. Blonde waves framed a face with high cheek bones and bright green eyes. I had seen her and Charles' son as well. She'd brought him over for tea with my mother and sisters. He was a pretty little boy with a chubby face and curly light blond hair and blue eyes. He looked almost like a cherub in an old Venetian painting.

Now looking among the females, I saw her again. Louisa stood with her twin, Marjorie, chatting with smiling eyes and lips. She looked towards us at our approach, grinned broadly and waved. I heard James breathe raggedly. "God, why does she have to smile at me like that." He took a cigarette from his pocket and lit up, his hands trembling nervously.

"James, how are you?" Asked Louisa kindly.

"I'm doing well. And you?" He asked, stuffing one hand in his trouser pocket while he held the cigarette to his lips with the other.

"Fine. I've just been busy with Matthew." She said, her smile growing as she said her son's name. "He's an excellent hunter, you know. I'm very proud of him. One day, he's going to put all of you males to shame."

"You don't say." James muttered, taking a long drag of the cigarette. Desperate to escape the awkwardness, he grabbed my hand and began leading me towards the humans' cage. "Excuse me, Louisa, I want my baby brother here to see the humans before the hunt starts." He said as we strode quickly away.

"Can you be anymore obvious?" I asked, looking back at Louisa's stunned expression.

"Shut up. You haven't been chosen yet. You have no idea what it's like, seeing one of your females, not being able to touch her, and then hearing her talk about a child she didn't conceive by you. It's horrible. I choose to avoid it."

We walked up to the cage, where some other males were gathered, muttering over the human specimens. Charles, happened to be one of them. "There you are, brothers." He greeted with a smirk. "Come here, Corey, take a look at these fellows." He gestured for me to draw nearer.

"What's so special about them?" I asked. "Why do you look them over beforehand?"

"You can tell a lot about a human, just by looking at them." He pointed towards a large male at the front of the cage. His hair was shaggy and brown, his eyes dull and dark. "Take this one for example. He's pretty large and strong from doing hard labor for what looks like several years. He also has some scars on him, so he's obviously given his masters a hard time." He said, noting some small scars on his chest and some lash marks over his stomach, arms, back and shoulders that may have been from a whip. Charles reached through the bars and grabbed the man's face. He turned it to the side and he showed me the bite marks at the side of his neck. "The females have drained him so he'd be easier to handle." He released the man and the human snapped at his hand as he took it away, nearly biting his fingers. Charles chuckled at the man, not at all threatened. "Obviously the effects are wearing off. Look out for this one. He's going to be trouble." The man glared at us, his dull eyes flaring back to life with hate.

Lucian and Magda, the oldest of the elders from both male and female societies stood together at the center of the field. Lucian was a average sized male with hair and eyes that had been paled to almost all white with age. His short hair and beard were as white as snow and his eyes were a hazy blue, almost as if he were blind, when in fact his sight had only gotten more keen. As we vampires age, we become more like the original migrants who came to the human world from that of the spirits. The originals were more demon than anything else. Since we lived amongst humans now, the source of our sustenance, we had be more appealing, and so our species adapted, becoming more human-like, but the demon is still always there beneath the surface. As we age, the disguise begins to ware away, until the demon is fully revealed.

Magda had similar looks, but there was a subtle difference. Magda did not seem quite as old. Her hair still had a bit of a gray tint to it and her eyes still maintained some hue. This was perhaps due to the fact that females generally feed more than males. Therefore they need to hunt more. Since hunting is so vital for their survival, the human facade remains intact for a longer period of time than in the males. She looked like she may be a few decades younger than Lucian when she was really several centuries older.

The two ancients stood together, smiling proudly over the men and women gathered around them, like a king and queen over their court. The men flanked Lucian, their dogs barking and moving about almost as restlessly as the males were. The females flanked Magda. They stood composed, their bodies still as the waters of a frozen lake. They were a strong contrast to the males, who moved more like river water through a rapid.

Magda and Lucian each took a rams' horn from the son that they had together, Dominique, an elder himself now. They brought the horn to their lips and each blew on it, sending a trumpeting sound over the field. The hunt would now begin.


End file.
